Urban Hawker is Manhattan’s premier destination for authentic Singaporean street food, bringing the vibrant culture of Singapore’s UNESCO-certified hawker centers to New York City.
🌟 What Makes It Unique
The food hall’s distinctiveness stems from its commitment to authenticity and its curatorial vision:
- Singaporean Hawker Culture: Urban Hawker is the first-of-its-kind food center in the United States to exclusively feature stalls inspired by, and in many cases, brought directly from, the renowned hawker centers of Singapore.
- Expert Curation: The concept was curated by KF Seetoh, the founder of the World Street Food Congress and Makansutra, a leading authority on heritage street food culture.
- Diverse Cuisine: It showcases a broad array of essential Southeast Asian cuisines—including Malay, Peranakan, Chinese, Indian, and Filipino—all under one roof.
- The Sling Bar: A dedicated bar adds to the unique experience, serving seasonal, gin-based cocktails like the famous “Singapore Slings” alongside Malaysian-inspired snacks.
đź“ś History and Significant Events
The idea for a Singaporean hawker center in New York City has a notable history spanning several years:
- Inception: The concept was born around 2013 when KF Seetoh met the late chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain at a street food event in Singapore. Bourdain was an initial collaborator on the project.
- The Partnership: Seetoh later partnered with Urbanspace, a leading NYC food hall operator, to revive the plans after Bourdain’s initial proposal for a food center was withdrawn due to failing to acquire a lease.
- Grand Opening: After nearly five years of planning, Urban Hawker officially opened in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. This was a significant event, bringing a piece of UNESCO-recognized culture to the U.S. for the first time.
- Ongoing Cultural Exchange: The food hall serves as an ongoing hub for cultural exchange, featuring “hawkerpreneurs”—many of them multi-generational vendors—who share their traditional, complex, and beloved dishes with the New York community.
🍽️ Highlight Menu Items
With approximately 17 diverse vendors, some of the highly praised and signature dishes include:
- Hainanese Chicken Rice (from Hainan Jones) – Served poached, roasted, or fried.
- Special Prawn Ramen and Wok Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles (from Prawnaholic Collections).
- Pork Adobo and Rambutan Salad (from Tradisyon, for Filipino comfort food).
- Satay with Homemade Peanut Sauce and Beef Rendang (from Padi D’ NYC).
- Char Guay Teow (stir-fried rice noodles).
- Murtabak (savory, stuffed pancakes) and Roti John (from Mamak’s Corner or similar stalls).
- Nanyang-inspired pastries and Kuih (from Lady Wong), known for their pandan-based treats.
- Wok-Fired Egg Fried Rice (from Mr. Fried Rice), often customizable with proteins like Crispy Pork Chop or Teriyaki Grilled Salmon.
đź’¬ Customer Feedback
Customer feedback generally highlights the following:
| Positive Feedback | Areas for Improvement |
| Authenticity: Many reviewers, particularly Singaporean expatriates, praise the authentic taste and flavors of the dishes, feeling transported home. | Pricing: As expected in Midtown Manhattan, prices are significantly higher than the low prices found at traditional hawker centers in Singapore. |
| Variety of Food: The wide selection of diverse Southeast Asian and Asian-style Western favorites is a huge draw. | Crowds/Wait Times: The venue can get extremely busy during peak lunch hours, leading to long queues at popular stalls. |
| Ambiance: The food hall offers a vibrant, comfortable, and inviting atmosphere that captures the spirit of a bustling communal dining room. | Vegetarian Options: Some feedback mentions a desire for more diverse or explicit vegetarian/vegan options across all stalls. |
đź“Ť Information
| Category | Detail |
| Address | 135 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10020 |
| Contact Phone | (212) 381-1245 |
| Website | https://www.urbanhawker.com/ |
